This is not the first that we have heard about this, as the recent EA layoffs had the rumor that Pandemic Studios and other divisions would either be shutdown or reduced in staff.  However, it was surprising at the timing of this closure, as Pandemic was readying their newest title, The Saboteur.  Why you would shut down a developer less than 20 days away from the release of their new title, seems questionable at best.

More importantly, what does this tell the community about The Saboteur.  Will Electronic Arts look to support this title beyond its release?  I would look at it as a vote of no confidence in the title from EA, and that those that buy it will never see much beyond its release to retail.  That is the thing that really upsets me, as Pandemic was trying to do something different with the World War II era, by having you as a covert operative, and with the coloring of the city, all of it was looking amazing.  Now we as gamers, are faced with a title that looks to never expand beyond its current state of development.

Just my two cents at EA, but for a company that sat their and said that they wanted to support creativity and emerging IPs, you certainly are not following through on the promise.  We have probably seen the death of Mirror’s Edge 2 with this latest round of updates, and now The Saboteur is gone as well.  Dead Space 2 may also be on the cutting block as well.  Where is that innovation and creativity now.  It sure as hell is not in EA Sports or The Sims, so where will it come from?  Bioware is about the only EA company that is still creating new and innovative titles, and all of them are making bucketloads of cash.  Maybe John Riccitiello should go up to visit to two Doctors at Bioware and find out how to be successful with new brands.

EA Montreal will be performing mop up duties on The Saboteur.  EA Montreal is the developer for Army of Two: The 40th Day.  Pandemic Studios, we wish all of your hard working developers the best in your unfortuate situations, and hope that all of you find work at other developers that might give you the chance to show off that creativity that you gave us gamers over 10 years.

AFI fans will have a chance to rock out to such tunes as “Beautiful Thieves”, “End Transmission” and “Love Like Winter” to name a few.  If you are a Bangles fan, you will get your chance to rock out “Walk Like and Egyptian”.  And just for those paying attention, Susanna Hoffs was totally looking at me in that video.  “Walk Like an Egyption” will also be playable in Lego Rock Band.

If you have Rock Band Unplugged on the PSP, you will have a chance to grab “California uber Alles” by Dead Kennedys and “Your No Rock n’ Roll Fun” by Sleater-Kinney.

Check the jump for the full press release with pricing info.

ROCK BAND ADDS AFI FIVE-PACK AND THE BANGLES

Also, tracks from Dead Kennedys and Sleater-Kinney for Rock Band Unplugged!

Cambridge, Mass. – Nov. 13, 2009 – Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that a five pack of tracks from AFI and a single from The Bangles will be added next week to the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system and Wii™. Tracks from Dead Kennedys and Sleater-Kinney will be available for download next week for Rock Band Unplugged on PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.

Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 System and Wii

Rock Band is delivering more tracks from punk outfit AFI with a five pack of songs to join “Girl’s Not Grey” and “Miss Murder,” which are already available on the Rock Band platform. “AFI Pack 01” features three songs from the group’s eighth studio album, Crash Love, released Sept. 29, including “Beautiful Thieves,” “End Transmission” and “Medicate;” as well as “Love Like Winter,” from Decemberunderground, and “The Leaving Song, Pt II,” from Sing the Sorrow.

“Walk Like an Egyptian,” the 80s staple from The Bangles, will also be available in the Rock Band Music Store next week.

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Nov. 17) and PlayStation 3 system (Nov. 19):

· AFI – “Beautiful Thieves”

· AFI – “End Transmission”

· AFI – “Love Like Winter”

· AFI – “Medicate”

· AFI – “The Leaving Song, Pt II”

· The Bangles – “Walk Like an Egyptian”+

(All tracks are original master recordings)

These tracks will be available for purchase as “AFI Pack 01” as well as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system, and as individual tracks on Wii. Tracks marked with a “+” are also available in the family-friendly LEGO Rock Band Music Store

Price: $1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track

$8.49 £5.25 UK, €6.59 EU (680 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “AFI Pack 01”

$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points™) per track

Rock Band Unplugged Tracks for PSP®System

Rock Band Unplugged fans will enjoy the addition of Dead Kennedys’ “California über Alles”and Sleater-Kinney’s “You’re No Rock’n’Roll Fun” to the 57 tracks already available via the Rock Band Unplugged in-game music store for the PSP system.

Tracks available for Rock Band Unplugged (Nov. 19):

•Dead Kennedys – “California über Alles” •Sleater-Kinney – “You’re No Rock’n’Roll Fun”

Price: $1.99, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU per track on the PSP system

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **

Website Links:

For more information, please visit:

Rock Band Website

AFI Website

Rock Band 2 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Wii system. Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Wii versions support downloadable content. Downloadable content for Wii is purchased via the in-game Rock Band Music Storeusing Wii Points™ purchased through the Wii™ Shop Channel and can be downloaded to the system memory or to an SD card for additional storage. The tracks stream directly from the SD card for seamless play.

There are now 949 tracks available to date via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/music). Rock Band continues to satisfy music fans’ and gamers’ voracious appetite for rock with more than 60 million paid downloads since its launch Nov. 20, 2007. The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library.

Rock Band and Rock Band 2 are rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB. Music downloads are not rated by the ESRB.

For more information on Rock Band 2 and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo

The Sgt. Pepper’s album DLC will finish off the album collection, and includes such hits at “When I’m Sixty Four”, “Lovely Rita” and “A Day In The Life” to name a few.  You can purchase tracks individually, or in a “Complete The Album” pack if you have an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3.

Pricing for individual tracks is standard Rock Band pricing, with each track costing 200 Wii Points, 160 MS Points or $1.99 on the PS3.  The “Complete The Album” download will be 1080 MS Points or $13.49 on the PS3.

Check the jump for the full press release for more info.

MTV Games and Harmonix Release Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band As Second Downloadable Album For The Beatles™: Rock Band™ On November 17th

New York – November 13, 2009 – Apple Corps, Ltd., MTV Games and Harmonix, the world’s leading developer of music-based games and a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), today announced The Beatles’ album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) will be available in its entirety for purchase and playable as downloadable content in The Beatles™: Rock Band™Music Store starting November 17, 2009.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band becomes the second full album from The Beatles to hit The Beatles: Rock Band Music Store since the video game’s launch on September 9, 2009. Last month MTV Games and Harmonix released Abbey Road (1969) as the first full downloadable album for use in the game. Additionally, “All You Need Is Love,” the first downloadable track available for the game, has shown similar success with more than 100,000 downloads to date on Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network and all Apple Corps Ltd., MTV Games, Harmonix and Microsoft proceeds benefiting Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

With “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “With A Little Help From My Friends,” “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,” “Getting Better,” and “Good Morning Good Morning” already included on The Beatles: Rock Band game disc, players will now be able to play songs from, and complete, the entire Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

Available for Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from (Nov. 17) and PlayStation®3 System (Nov. 19):

Individual Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band singles: “Fixing A Hole,” “She’s Leaving Home,” “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!,” “Within You Without You,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Lovely Rita,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” and “A Day In The Life.”

Price: $1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per each individual track

The “Complete The Album Pack” features:

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band singles: “Fixing A Hole,” “She’s Leaving Home,” “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!,” “Within You Without You,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Lovely Rita,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” and “A Day In The Life.”

Price: $13.49 USD, £7.49, €8.99 (1080 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Complete The Album Pack”

Available for Wii (Nov. 17):

Individual Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band singles: “Fixing A Hole,” “She’s Leaving Home,” “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!,” “Within You Without You,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Lovely Rita,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” and “A Day In The Life.”

Price: $2.00 USD (200 Wii Points™) per each individual track

As previously announced the complete Rubber Soul (1965) album will be released as downloadable content in December. The Beatles: Rock Band downloadable content is available for purchase on the Xbox LIVE, PlayStation®Network and via the in-game The Beatles: Rock Band Music Store for Wii™ using Wii Points purchased through the Wii™ Shop Channel.

The Beatles: Rock Band offers players an unprecedented, experiential progression through the music and artistry of The Beatles and is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™ console from Nintendo. The game is compatible with all The Beatles: Rock Band and Rock Band™ instrument controllers, as well as most Guitar Hero® and other authorized third-party music video game peripherals and microphones.

The Beatles: Rock Band marks the first time that Apple Corps, along with EMI Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Harrisongs Ltd and Startling Music Ltd has presented The Beatles music in an interactive video game format. The Beatles: Rock Band is published by MTV Games and developed by Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game company and creators of the best-selling Rock Band. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) serves as distribution partner for the game. In addition, Giles Martin, co-producer of The Beatles’ innovative LOVE album project, provided his expertise and served as Music Producer for this groundbreaking Beatles project.

The Beatles: Rock Band is rated “T” for Teen with the descriptors “Mild Lyrics” and “Tobacco Reference” by the ESRB.

About Apple Corps. Ltd. Apple Corps Ltd. was founded by The Beatles in 1968 to look after the group’s own affairs. The London-based company has administered the catalogue of The Beatles releases of the 1960s that have sold to date more than 600 million records, tapes and CDs. Since the 1990s, Apple has piloted new Beatles projects that have become benchmarks for pioneering accomplishment and which have included The Beatles Anthology projects, the 28-million selling album The Beatles 1 and The Beatles LOVE show and CD. Further information on The Beatles’ projects can be found at www.thebeatles.com.

About MTV Networks MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, HarmonixNickelodeonNick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.

About MTV Games MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.

About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of ground-breaking music-oriented videogames. Harmonix was founded by Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, who formed the company to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and have pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information please visit: www.harmonixmusic.com.

About Electronic Arts Inc. Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA™, EA SPORTS™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

© 2009 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Harmonix, Rock Band, Rock Band 2 and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., an MTV Networks company. Rock Band, Rock Band 2, and The Beatles: Rock Band are developed by Harmonix Music Systems, inc. MTV: Music Television, MTV Games and all related titles and logos are trademarks of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Guitar Hero is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Tim Shafer has always created great games that are normally critically acclaimed, yet never have any amount of commercial success.  Brutal Legend went through a tumultuous sequence of events on its way to release, but throughout the process, looked to be a solid experience.  However, some game design elements and repetition seem to take a lot of the fun out of an otherwise, incredible open world experience.

Starting into Brutal Legend, I was poised for a great hack and slash experience, as all of the demos and presentations gamers have received for the game have showed Eddie Riggs, our main protagonist, tearing up beasts.  He would do combat with an axe and with the blazing hot strings of his guitar, but never would I have thought I would be playing Command and Conquer lite in Brutal Legend.  If you cannot piece together that analogy, it basically means that you will be doing less hacking/slashing and far more building units and commanding them into battle.  It is not a flawed system, but it is not what gamers were prepared for walking into this title.

While I was a little perplexed with the design decision for Brutal Legend, I can say that the story that backs the gameplay is rather solid, and was one of the main items that kept me from giving up on Brutal Legend at the half way point.  The writing is top notch, taking something that could be clichéd and making it into something rather memorable.  You have Eddie Riggs, a standard roadie, that never wants fame and fortune, killed in a stage accident, and then transported to a fantasy world, filled with all of the images you could possibly remember from early 80’s heavy metal album covers.  You end up with Riggs helping the native populace rise up from oppression to fight the evil leader of this world, Lord Diviculous.  Of course, there are some great turns and twists, including some great deception in your own party that adds to the intrigue of the story.  However, most may never see the end of the story, because the gameplay just kills any kind of rhythm or atmosphere that is created by the writers.

Yes, you will spend most of your time in RTS battles.  The combat starts with your side building a stage, and from there, you are tasked with two directives: capture green geysers that hold the “fans” that will help you generate more troops and upgrades and the other directive is to destroy the enemy’s stage.  Commanding your troops is rather easy, with a press to the D-pad choosing their actions.  They can attack, defend and rally, and that is about it.  Later, you gain the ability to set a simple waypoint, but nothing that will tax an RTS veteran.  There are huge flaws in the RTS gameplay, with troops that really never seem to have any intelligence.  More than once, I had my troops collect at one point and watch another troop in the distance get mauled.  It should have been in their line of sight, but they did nothing to help.  The other issue comes from repetition, because after one or two of these battles, you will just want to get them done as fast as possible, due to the tedium of finishing them.

Side quests are also available, and they do add some variance to the RTS stage battles, but after awhile, even these start to get repetitive.  You do have five or six different type of missions to fight, but they seem tacked on to the game.  Each comes with about six lines of canned dialog that will vary each time you start a mission.  They are also rather easy, and none ever really struck up a challenge.  I started off the game completing most of these missions in the first area of the map, but after awhile, I just wanted to finish the game, and the side quests never got touched after that fact.

The sad thing, after all of these criticisms, is that Brutal Legend is at its best when you are just driving around, experiencing the world.  I loved just checking out the different landscapes and little in-jokes that you would find just observing the world.  One thing that Tim Shafer has always done right in his games is creating a world that is unique and fun to experience, and in Brutal Legend, that is absolutely true, to a fault.  Whether it is looking at huge stone swords, sign of the devil hand statues or even just the creatures that inhabit the world, you can just get mesmerized by the scenery.  Even your character, Eddie, makes great little quips about things he sees while you are cruising, just making the world more enjoyable.

I also enjoyed a lot of the voice over work from everyone involved with Brutal Legend.  I normally abhor anything that Jack Black is associated with, but his voice work for Eddie Riggs is actually amazing.  I loved every little line from his character, because it was done with such gusto and polish.  Normally, big actors tend to phone in their performances on a video game (David Duchovny in XIII anyone) but you can tell that Jack Black really enjoyed his time with Eddie Riggs.  Cameos also abound in the game, including Lita Ford, Rob Halford, Lemmy, Tim Curry and even Ozzy Ozbourne.  Ozzy is especially of note, because his character absolutely steals the show.  He has a surprising amount of dialog, and all of it is funny to listen to, and it is genuinely funny.  This is “I can understand you” Ozzy, not “stammering like an idiot” Ozzy.

One thing of note is also how the game handles language and violence.  My eight-year-old son had watched some of the trailers for this title and was a bit upset when he found out it was going to be a Mature rated title.  But Double Fine has built into the game, a censor system that removes the violence and swearing, in any combination.  You can have swearing and no violence, or vice versa.  So my son was able to start a game with the no violence and no swearing options selected and it was a great experience for him.  It also does some great stuff, by putting big parental advisory stickers on anything that is questionable, remembering back to the Tipper Gore days of early 80’s controversy with obscene lyrics in music.  I was extremely happy for this option in the game, and it would be great to see more developers jump on the bandwagon.

And this is where I am completely perplexed for a score on Brutal Legend.  On one hand, the action is repetitive, side quests dull, and overall fun is lacking, and yet, I could come back and just enjoy driving around and experience the well conceptualized world.  The whole reason this review was delayed for so long, was because I was trying to find a score that would fit what I played.  In the end, I felt that Brutal Legend was a great game to experience, but after getting through the first few hours of the game, boredom and tedium step in and ruin a great, visually stunning world.  Brutal Legend gets a 2 out of 5 Aeropausonauts.
Check out Brutal Legend and other Xbox 360 reviews at Test Freaks.

Even with all the controversy that has followed Dante’s Inferno, I have to admit that I am still intrigued by the title.  That said, I am on the fence on whether the game is a purchase or a rental, and now players will get a chance to see if the game is to their liking with a demo next month.

For those that own a PS3 or an Xbox 360, a Dante’s Inferno demo will give gamers a taste of the Divine Comedy in December.  The demo will include the first full level entitled, “Gates of Hell” and it should give people the final verdict on whether they need to order this game.  For those that are looking at the PSP version of the game, you will just have to play it by ear, as no demo is planned at this time for Dante’s Inferno.

Check the jump for the full press release from Visceral Games and Electronic Arts.

Visceral Games Invites Players to Tear Open the ‘Gates of Hell’ with Dante’s Inferno Demo

Experience One of the Most Anticipated Games of 2010… in 2009

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov 10, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Spend the holidays in hell! Visceral Games(TM), the award-winning developers behind the critically-acclaimed Dead Space(TM) franchise and a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), today announced a demo for Dante’s Inferno(TM). Coming this December, the ‘Gates of Hell’ demo includes the entire opening level and gives gamers a taste of Visceral Games’ blockbuster adaptation of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy.

The ‘Gates of Hell’ demo will introduce players to the game’s hero, epic story and intense action gameplay, tracing Dante’s battles from the surface all the way to the Gates of Hell. Players will experience fast-paced hack-n-slash combat as they fend off waves of enemies before taking on the ultimate battle against Death. After defeating this boss, Dante will be armed with Death’s scythe, a powerful holy cross, and will be ready to tear open the Gates of Hell. The demo also features two stunning cinematic movies made by Blur, the award-winning visual effects, animation and design studio.

“Our main goal from the start of this project has been to create a journey that will make gamers truly feel like they are going through hell,” said executive producer Jonathan Knight. “The demo will give everyone some insight into how we are treating the story and a taste of the gameplay. And with nine more circles of hell to explore once the game comes out in February, we are literally just scratching the surface.”

EA’s Dante’s Inferno is an epic descent through Dante Alighieri’s nine circles of hell – limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. At a blazing-fast 60 frames per second, each circle features unique environments, all new creatures, terrifying demons, story elements and are scored distinctly to set a tone that fits each circle of sinners.

Gamers will get to go to hell in North America beginning February 9, 2010 and in Europe on February 12, 2010 for the PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system, and the PlayStation(R) Portable (PSP(R)). The Gates of Hell demo will be available on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

Dante’s Inferno has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI. For more information on Dante’s Inferno, please follow the Dante’s Inferno team at Visceral Games on Twitter at www.twitter.com/danteteam and visit the game’s official web site at www.dantesinferno.com where the team explores a new circle of hell, with new content and updates on the ninth day of every month.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA(TM), EA SPORTS(TM), EA Mobile(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, POGO, Visceral Games, Dead Space and Dante’s Inferno are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. “PlayStation” and “PSP” are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

After a slight delay in the mail system, I finally received my review copy of Dragon Age: Origins on the PC, and after thirty minutes of play, I can say that it was well worth the wait.  From the initial isometric view, down to the intricate family relationships that are formed in those early moments of the game, show just a small amout of what the game has to give a player through the long run.

My first thirty was delayed a few minutes, by what might be the most ridiculous system ever to handle DLC content in a game.  On the PC, it was not too bad, except I had a hell of a time getting my Bioware account to link up to the Dragon Age social site. Only after getting that successfully synced up, could I finally use the DLC codes that came in my game box.  Since I did not have a store bought copy of the game, I did not get the Warden’s Keep, but I did get most everything else.  The DLC is kludgy, requring you to exit the game, register the download, hope that you don’t have issues linking your Bioware account to your Bioware social account, etc.  Bioware, why not just have a code in the game that you enter.

That said, once I started up the game, I was presented with the character creation screen, and I knew at that point I was home.  All the customization that was available in Mass Effect is available here, except that the graphics have been bumped up a bit.  I liked that there were more quality choices for making characters this time around, because the ones in Mass Effect were lacking at times.  I had my female warrior created after about 10 minutes of tinkering.  Yes, I am a female warrior, you have a problem with that?

My origin path that I was creating had me playing as a Warrior Noble, where I was the daughter of a famous warrior.  My father and brother were readying themselves to go into battle, and I was lamenting the fact that I would have to stay behind.  The voice work from the characters is a little stilted at times, but there is enough good story there to get you hooked.  Most of the introductions done in the Origins story are there to prepare your for the world and how you will interact with it.  I learned the ins and outs of combat and attacking enemies with a full party.  I did like the way that you could surround enemies with your party.  Combat is three dimensional, and you have to remember that if you want to succeed.

My first thirty finished with a great setpiece, as I had to fight my way out of the keep I lived it, as a friend of my father turned traitorous, and attacked.  My escape had me fighting through several throngs of enemies on the way to the secret exit.  It left me wanting more, as the story hooked me in big time.  I was perplexed at the total lack of voice over for my character.  I am not sure if that only shows up in the origins section of the game, or if I will play through the whole game like a Gordon Freeman, completely mute.  It made less sense when I remembered that I was asked to choose a voice for my character.

Dragon Age: Origins is a very enjoyable experience through the first thirty minutes.  This obviously does not give you a true feel for a game that has an average play through time of 60 hours, but from what I have seen so far, I have really enjoyed what Bioware is feeding players this time around.  Keep an eye out for a full review after I get enough time to play through the full story.

For those of you that have Rock Band Unplugged on the PSP will have two new tracks to add to their library.  The first is “Excuse Me Mr.” from No Doubt and “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys.

All tracks are 160 Microsoft points, 200 Wii points or $1.99 on PS3.  The three White Strips tracks can be had in a package on the PS3 and 360 for $5.49 and 440 Microsoft points depending on platform.

THE WHITE STRIPES MAKE THEIR ROCK BAND DEBUT

Also, tracks from No Doubt and Dropkick Murphys for Rock Band Unplugged!

Cambridge, Mass. – Nov. 6, 2009 – Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that a three pack of tracks from The White Stripes and singles from The Damned and Kasabian will be added next week to the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system and Wii™. Tracks from No Doubt and Dropkick Murphys will be available for download next week for Rock Band Unplugged on PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.

Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 System and Wii

Brother/sister duo The White Stripes will release a three pack of some of their most loved songs on Rock Band next week. The band, composed of Jack White (of The Dead Weather and The Raconteurs, both featured in Rock Band) and Meg White, has sold more than 12 million albums worldwide and has won five Grammy Awards, including three for Best Alternative Music Album. “The White Stripes Pack 01” will feature “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground,” from the 2001 album, White Blood Cells; “Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine,” from the 2003 album, Elephant; and “Icky Thump” from the 2007 album of the same name. A tour documentary titled “The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights” debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival this September and is currently making the festival rounds to rave reviews. The film, directed by Emmett Malloy, is a visual and emotional documentation of The White Stripes making their way through Canada where they played every province and territory, culminating with their 10th anniversary show in Nova Scotia. “The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights” is scheduled to be released in early 2010.

English punk rockers The Damned make their Rock Band debut next week with “Smash It Up,” and English rockers Kasabian add to their Rock Band catalog, with “Club Foot.”

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Nov. 10) and PlayStation 3 system (Nov. 12):

· The Damned – “Smash It Up (Part II)” +

· Kasabian – “Club Foot” +

· The White Stripes – “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” +

· The White Stripes – “Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine” +

· The White Stripes – “Icky Thump”

(All tracks are original master recordings)

These tracks will be available for purchase as “The White Stripes Pack 01” as well as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system, and as individual tracks on Wii. Tracks marked with a “+” are also available in the family-friendly LEGO Rock Band Music Store.

Price: $1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track

$5.49, £2.49 UK, €3.99 EU (440 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “The White Stripes Pack 01”

$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points™) per track

Rock Band Unplugged Tracks for PSP®System

Rock Band Unplugged fans will enjoy the addition of No Doubt’s “Excuse Me Mr.” and Dropkick Murphy’s “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” to the 55 tracks already available via the Rock Band Unplugged in-game music store for the PSP system.

Tracks available for Rock Band Unplugged (Nov. 12):

•No Doubt – “Excuse Me Mr.” •Dropkick Murphys – “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”

Price: $1.99, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU per track on the PSP system

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **

Website Links:

For more information, please visit:

Rock Band Website

The White Stripes Website

Rock Band 2 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Wii system. Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Wii versions support downloadable content. Downloadable content for Wii is purchased via the in-game Rock Band Music Storeusing Wii Points™ purchased through the Wii™ Shop Channel and can be downloaded to the system memory or to an SD card for additional storage. The tracks stream directly from the SD card for seamless play.

There are now 938 tracks available to date via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/music). Rock Band continues to satisfy music fans’ and gamers’ voracious appetite for rock with more than 60 million paid downloads since its launch Nov. 20, 2007. The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library.

Rock Band and Rock Band 2 are rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB. Music downloads are not rated by the ESRB.

For more information on Rock Band 2 and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo

Coming in a tin box package, Mass Effect 2 Special Edition will ship with a copy of Mass Effect 2, a 48-page “The Art of Mass Effect 2″, a copy of the first issue of the Mass Effect Redemption comic book and a pack-in DVD that has a “Making of” documentary and more.

More controversial will be several special weapons that you will only be able to get if you purchase the special edition of Mass Effect 2.  Currently there are no plans to put these weapons out as DLC later, so it will give those that buy the Special Edition, a leg up on those that buy the normal version of the game.  Since it is a single player game, it is not a balance killer, but I just hate it in general when a developer and/or publisher decides extra weapons should only be available to you if you spend more money on a deluxe edition of a release.

If you are interested in the Mass Effect 2 Collectors Edition, you can pick it up for $69.99 on the Xbox 360, or $59.99 on the PC.  Check the jump for a few extra details in the press release.

BioWare Announces Mass Effect 2 Collectors’ Edition

Special Edition Includes Exclusive Armor and Weapons, Comic Book, and Bonus Content

EDMONTON, Alberta, Nov 05, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Recruit your crew and fight for the lost! Leading video game developer BioWare(TM), a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced that the internationally acclaimed Shooter RPG Mass Effect(TM) 2 will also be released as a Collectors’ Edition in limited quantities. Available on January 26 in North America (Jan 29 in EU) alongside the standard edition, the Collectors’ Edition of Mass Effect 2 comes in a premium, tin case andincludes the full version of the game, a 48-page hardcover “Art of Mass Effect 2″ book, Issue 1 of the Mass Effect Redemption comic book, and a bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes and making-of videos. In addition, the Mass Effect 2 Collectors’ Edition will include unique in-game weapons and armor that can only be obtained by purchasing this version. With its larger-than-life hero Commander Shepard, intense shooter action, nuanced characters and a rich storyline, Mass Effect 2 is one of the most anticipated titles of 2010.

“We’re really excited to roll out this Collectors’ Edition featuring so many unique items, including special Collectors’ Edition armor and weapons and content that will surprise Mass Effect fans,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA. “The limited edition comic book and bonus DVD will really enhance and expand the overall Mass Effect 2 experience.”

The Mass Effect trilogy is an emotionally charged science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will once again step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding their crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience.

Mass Effect 2 will be available on the Xbox 360(R) videogame and entertainment system and PC. The Mass Effect 2 Collectors’ Edition will retail at an MSRP of $69.99 on Xbox 360 and $59.99 on PC. Mass Effect 2 assets are available at info.ea.com. Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/masseffect2. For more information on Mass Effect 2, go to http://masseffect.bioware.com/.

About BioWare

BioWare develops high quality console, PC and online role-playing games, focused on rich stories, unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s most critically acclaimed titles, including Baldur’s Gate(TM), Neverwinter Nights(TM), Star Wars(R): Knights of the Old Republic(TM), Jade Empire(TM) and Mass Effect(TM). BioWare operates in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec) and Austin (Texas). BioWare’s announced projects include the dark heroic fantasy game Dragon Age: Origins, as well as Mass Effect 2(TM), the epic sequel to Mass Effect, and the story-driven massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars(R): The Old Republic(TM). In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com; to join the millions of fans already registered on our community, go to social.bioware.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA(TM), EA SPORTS(TM), EA Mobile(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

BioWare, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. in the U.S. and/or other countries. EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

To see the tracks for each band, along with pricing info, click the jump.

ROCK BAND ADDS TO ITS CATALOG OF TOP ARTISTS WITH MORE NIRVANA AND FOO FIGHTERS

Also, tracks from Bullet for My Valentine and System of a Down for Rock Band Unplugged!

Cambridge, Mass. – Oct. 30, 2009 – Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that a three pack of tracks from Nirvana, a four pack of tracks from Foo Fighters and a single from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts will be added next week to the Rock Band Music Store and the LEGO Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system and Wii™. Tracks from Bullet for My Valentine and System of a Down will be available for download next week for Rock Band Unplugged on PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system.

Rock Band DLC Additions for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 System and Wii

Nirvana released their debut album, Bleach, in 1989 on Sub Pop Records, and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this platinum-selling album, Sub Pop will release a special edition of the album, featuring a complete and previously unreleased live concert recorded in 1990 in Portland, Oregon. The anniversary edition of Bleach will be released the same day and date as “Nirvana Bleach Pack,” which includes “About a Girl,” “Blew” and “School.”

American rockers Foo Fighters, will release Greatest Hits Nov. 3, the same day the third DLC pack from the band will be available in the Rock Band Music Store. Greatest Hits will feature 14 of the three-time Grammy Award-winning band’s most-loved songs, as well as two new songs, “Wheels” and “Word Forward,” both of which are featured in “Foo Fighters Pack 03,” along with “Best of You” and “The Pretender.”

American rockers Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ “Fake Friends” from the 1984 album, Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth, will also be added to the Rock Band Music Store and LEGO Rock Band Music Store Nov. 3.

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Nov. 3) and PlayStation 3 system (Nov. 5):

· Foo Fighters – “Best of You”

· Foo Fighters – “The Pretender”

· Foo Fighters – “Wheels”

· Foo Fighters – “Word Forward”

· Nirvana – “About a Girl”

· Nirvana – “Blew”

· Nirvana – “School”

· Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – “Fake Friends”

(All tracks are original master recordings)

These tracks will be available for purchase as “Nirvana Bleach Pack,” “Foo Fighters Pack 03” and as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system and as individual tracks on Wii. 

Price: $1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track

$5.49, £2.49 UK, €3.99 EU (440 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Nirvana Bleach Pack”

$6.99, £3.49 UK, €5.29 EU (560 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Foo Fighters Pack 03”

$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points™) per track

Rock Band Unplugged Tracks for PSP®System

Rock Band Unplugged fans will enjoy the addition of Bullet for My Valentine’s “Waking the Demon” and System of a Down’s “Toxicity” to the 53 tracks already available via the Rock Band Unplugged in-game music store for the PSP system.

Tracks available for Rock Band Unplugged (Nov. 5):

•Bullet For My Valentine – “Waking the Demon” •System of a Down – “Toxicity”

Price: $1.99, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU per track on the PSP system

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **

Website Links:

For more information, please visit:

Rock Band Website

Foo Fighters Website

Nirvana Website

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts Website

Rock Band 2 is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Wii system. Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Wii versions support downloadable content. Downloadable content for Wii is purchased via the in-game Rock Band Music Storeusing Wii Points™ purchased through the Wii™ Shop Channel and can be downloaded to the system memory or to an SD card for additional storage. The tracks stream directly from the SD card for seamless play.

There are now 930 tracks available to date via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/music). Rock Band continues to satisfy music fans’ and gamers’ voracious appetite for rock with more than 60 million paid downloads since its launch Nov. 20, 2007. The Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks and packs from the vast selection of offerings available to date without ever leaving the game as they build their own custom Rock Band library.

Rock Band and Rock Band 2 are rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB. Music downloads are not rated by the ESRB.

For more information on Rock Band 2 and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo

Late last week, we mentioned that Bioware was looking for a replacement for TeamUSA to participate in their Warden Quest event at London, England.  Now it appears that the event has started and that you can watch all the action in the event by going to www.wardenquest.com.

10 teams are battling it out for Dragon Age: Origins supremacy, while a team will face elimination every couple of hours.  The winning team will take a four way split of $50,000 in prize money.

So to recap, 40 gamers get a trip to London, England to compete for $12,500 in cash, while playing Dragon Age: Origins before anyone else.  Me = jealous.